I am always one to encourage going against the grain and not conforming to an idea or trend just because it is popular. Originality and uniqueness is what makes us all so special, and trends often reject this idea. Trends change so quickly that they tend to be a waste of time and money, provoking judgement we really don’t need in the world. Someone not participating in a trend is often seen as outdated and “not with the times”, yet participating in a trend is basic and unoriginal. Don’t get me wrong, I love matching with strangers on the street, but there is a point when I feel like I am living in a dystopian fairytale.
On their own, trends are only a problem if you care about them enough to make it a problem, but they often become a reason for judgement and a source of insecurity that isn’t necessary. With the help of social media and clothing lines based on trends, there has become a lack of originality in the world.
Contrary to everything I have said thus far, I hate not participating in trends.Â
Trends have become a social connection and sense of belonging for many people and is a reason I don’t like being left out of them. When it comes to the event on a Saturday night, or a trip to get ice cream, or even just hearing my friends giggling in the other room, I definitely have a fear of missing out (FOMO). It is funny how I can get the same feeling from simply not wearing the color that is in, the style of jeans that is popular, or the haircut everyone is styling. Sometimes it is hard to tell whether I genuinely like the current trends, or whether I feel socially obligated to participate. I think it is a mix of both, but either way, the FOMO is real.
My hair Can’t participate
For the last year or so, bobs and shoulder length hair have been a huge trend. I am obsessed with the look on other people and think it looks so chic any way it is styled. Unfortunately my natural curls do not allow me to participate in this trend. Instead of a sleek goddess, I would look more like a frizzy mess. I have a similar conundrum with bangs. Along with the curls, my hair is so thin that I would have to cut half of the hair around my face to get enough to cross my forehead. I tried the bangs once, but we don’t talk about that now.Â
My Legs Can’t Participate
I have a similar opinion about skinny jeans. Growing up, I developed my curves very late in life. As a result, my jeans have always been loose but not always on purpose. Since developing curves, I love my jeans loose, but there is always a seed of insecurity seeing someone rock a pair of skinny jeans. This is why I am obsessed with the baggy low rise look that has currently taken over the jean population, but I rue the day skinny jeans make a return. My long skinny legs are just not made for the skinny jean.
My feet can’t participate
I would also like to discuss the era of the air force. I am not sure what drew us all to obsess over the chunky platinum white shoe, but that didn’t stop me from feeling bad about not participating in the trend. I was probably the single person in my high school not wearing a pair. As a 5’10’’ girl with size 11 feet, wearing air forces was like marching my way into the circus in which I frequented as the clown. Genuinely, I tried on a pair once, and you couldn’t tell where my foot ended and the floor began.Â
Social media has made it so trends have become so widely spread that popular styles come and go weekly. One day you might dye your hair pink, to find out it is frowned upon in the next week. I often feel left out or insecure when I cannot participate in a trend, but it doesn’t have to be that way. As a society, we should be embracing our differences, especially when it comes to how we express ourselves. We should be celebrating our uniqueness and never being on either side of the judgement. Ultimately, trends have created unnecessary judgement towards ourselves and others, and it doesn’t hurt to be the one to stand alone from them.Â